


Exit Wounds

by LannaBanzai



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Domestic Violence, F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-02-12 19:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2121561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LannaBanzai/pseuds/LannaBanzai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Swan AU: Emma Swan works for a company that would prefer to remain a secret. One that is a...clean up crew for those who hold grudges. Killian Jones is a notorious serial killer, that has yet to be caught. When Emma gets hired by Snow and Charming to take down this serial killer...Emma's target might not be the one who winds up dead this time. Especially when it turns out her target might just be innocent...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Assignment

Chapter 1:

The first rule is to never let your target get away, or allow them to dissuade you. This rule meant everything to people in this line of work, especially when their own lives are at risk. Living by this rule was complicated, especially when your target was a poor man who was just trying to make a living for his children. But Emma did what she had to to survive, what she had to to make a living. “Emma Swan, I’m pleased to see you slept well.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Like hell you are. Just give me my next assignment." The man sitting opposite her rolled his eyes. 

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when you realize it's not what you wanted." She pulled the paper out of his hands and read it over. 

"Are you serious?" He nodded. "Captain Hook?" Another head nod. "As in notorious serial killer?" Another head nod and she growled. "Fine. Who hired me?" He handed her another slip of paper. 

"You have a meeting set up tomorrow at nine pm. Good luck." She spun on her heel and stomped out the door. 

"Whatever." She muttered as the door shut behind her. She glanced nervously at the slip of paper, wondering if she could pull this one off. Killian Jones, aka the fearsome Captain Hook is a famous serial killer, one who has yet to be caught. He kills several people, then disappears nearly off the face of the earth, only to reappear several years later in a different country. Emma ran a hand through her slightly curly blonde hair, wondering if she was actually going to be able to pull this off. The person who ends up dead this time, might not be her target. 

oOoOo

It was nine pm, the day that followed when Emma got her new assignment and she was knocking on the door of the people who hired her. Most company's like the one Emma worked for, refused to send them to meet face to face, just in case something went wrong, but Emma liked to meet her clients it gave her a chance to decide if the people really wanted this, or if they had time to think about it and have changed their minds. She knocked again, reading over the paper once more. On this paper it said their names were Charming and Snow. Weird names. They probably used fake ones to hide who they really are, it wasn't uncommon in this business. "Hi." The door opened to reveal a shorter woman, fair skinned and dark haired with a pixie cut. Her eyes were kind and it made Emma want to triple check the address. 

"Hi, I'm here on business." If they didn't know what she was talking about, she would leave and never return. 

"Right, come on in." Wow. This kind looking woman hired her to kill a man. Well, stranger things have happened. "Charming!" She called up the stairs as she lead Emma into a small sitting room. 

"Snow right?" She nodded as she sat across from Emma. "What do you do for a living?" Emma really was curious, but before Snow could answer a man Emma assumed to be Charming walked through the door. 

"You don't get to ask her that." He glared slowly and Emma held up her hands defensively. 

"Sorry man, I was just wondering. You don't seem like the kind of people who would support this, let alone people who would pay for it to happen." He regarded her curiously but his angry stance remained until Snow held up her hand. 

"It's alright." He instantly relaxed and sat down beside her. 

"Oh he is so whipped." Emma muttered to herself. 

"I'm a school teacher." Snow replied after Charming sat down and Emma understood. She finally got it. 

"You want to protect their futures." She mused and Snow looked surprised before nodding. 

"Yes. I know kids who have lost their parents, they haven't grown up well. I just want to stop that from happening." This was a touchy subject for Emma and she wanted to steer clear of it as fast as she could. 

"Makes sense." She smiled passed the lump in her throat. 

"So are you the messenger, or something? We weren't really told how this was going to work." Emma nearly laughed at Charming's words. If he really thought she was just a messenger, he was in for a shock. 

"Actually, I'm going to be the person to put a bullet in Killian Jones' brain. I'm here to...discover...the reasons as to why you would want this man murdered, and then to decide whether or not it's a case worth taking." They stared at her in surprise. 

"You're the one who's going to be killing him?" She nodded and forced herself to relax slightly. 

"Which is also the reason for personal questions. If you object to any questions, let me know. I know some people prefer their secrecy, while others lay everything out there. If you want to retain your secrecy, it doesn't effect the opinion of this case." It was mandatory to say these things, but Emma had decided on this case since she got the paper. "Alright. Are you ready?" They both nodded so Emma sat forward slightly. "Do you have any personal ties to this man?" They frowned in sync. Some people would find that cute, but Emma found it disturbing. 

"Personal ties?" She nodded. 

"Was he a member of your family at one point, is he a member of your family, is he a friend, or did he physically harm you or a member of your family?" They glanced at each other. 

"He attack a friend of ours, but didn't get to finish him off." She nodded, pulling out a notepad and writing everything down. 

"Alright. I don't really need to know anything else, just how and when I can contact you." She handed the notepad over while Charming wrote a few things down.

"What's your name?" Snow asked and she smiled. 

"I can't tell you that Snow, but you may call me Swan." She nodded, staring at Emma for a second. 

"What made you choose this lifestyle?" Emma shrugged, gathering her things and standing up. "Surely your parents don't approve." Ha. Parents. Might as well tell them. 

"I don't have any parents, or family for that matter." She muttered and Snow gasped lightly. 

"What happened to them?" She questioned and Emma was just about finished with her kindness. 

"I don't know. They left me on the side of a freeway when I was a baby. I've been alone ever since. I'll call you with details of payment." She turned and began to walk out the door. 

"You're going to take the case?" Charming asked and she nodded. 

"Sir, I planned on taking the case as soon as I got the notice yesterday. This crazy son of a bitch deserves some payback." Charming frowned slightly. 

"You speak as if you know him." Emma nodded. 

"I did, or do...I know his cases inside and out, the details of his crimes and things most people probably wouldn't realize about him. I know his habits and patterns, it helps me track him down." She shrugged stepping outside. "If you have any concerns you may contact me at this number," She handed them a white card with a number hand written on it. "Any objections you will have to take it up with my boss, but I can assure you. If you want this hit on Killian Jones to be completed, I'm the best shot you've got." They stared at her. 

"You mean, you're the one they said took down-" She held up her hand. 

"Probably. Contact me at that number with any further questions. If I need any other details I will phone you at the number you have provided. Thank you for your time." She spun around and walked across the street, hopping into her car and driving three blocks away before she pulled over and took a deep breath. She could do this. "You've got this. You'll get the son of a bitch." She muttered to herself before she pulled onto the road again. 

oOoOo

"Swan!" She flinched, sitting up in her car. Her phone ringing had woken her up, so she answered it without thinking. Her boss screeching in her ear however, had jolted her awake. 

"Yes?" She answered and she heard the familiar growl on the other end. 

"You're working the Jones case correct?" She almost nodded, before she remembered she was on her cellphone. 

"Yes Regina, I'm currently locating his whereabouts. Why?" Emma much preferred the man who handed out assignments over her boss. You see, there was a simple chain of command. Regina took all the cases, then sorted them out for each specific person. Then she handed them to her lackey, Sidney, who gave them to people like Emma. 

"Another assignment came in for you, this one...it's personal." Oh. 

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" She snapped. "I'm halfway across the country tracking a famous serial killer, I'm not exactly able to just up and drop everything." She was silent for a second. 

"It's about a man named Neal Cassidy." Emma nearly dropped her phone. 

"Oh yeah? What's that piece of shit done to deserve to die? Oh wait...everything." She rolled her eyes but Regina was serious. 

"He attacked a man named Mr Gold, and his wife Belle in their home last night. It's Mr Gold who's ordering the hit." Mr Gold? Isn't that the friend of Snow and Charming's? She frowned. 

"Regina send me the file please." Something in her voice made Regina confused. 

"Why? What's going on Emma?" She never used Emma's first name unless it was extreme circumstances. I guess she was worried about her. 

"I'm not sure yet. I just know that Mr Gold has been mentioned in attachment to this case. If something pops up, I'll let you know. Okay, bye." She hung up, her phone going off moments later when Regina emailed her the file. There was something else going on here, and Emma intended to find out exactly what it was...right after she located Killian Jones.

oOoOo

Emma sighed, shutting the door behind her. She’d rented a motel room for the night because she was not sleeping in that car one more night. It had been two weeks, and she was having trouble locating Killian Jones. Every report she read lead her to a dead end. She flopped onto the bed and let out a sigh. Compared to the cramped space of her car, this was like heaven. She pulled out her phone, and dialled a number, they picked up on the first ring. 

“Hey Ruby.” She smiled slightly. 

“Ems, what do you need?” Ruby always knew when something was up. 

“I need you to take the Neal Cassidy case.” She muttered, her voice quiet. 

“But Ems, you’ve been waiting for that case forever!” She bit her lip. 

“Listen, just look into it. I’m going to make the final call, but please look into it at least. Thanks. I gotta go.” She hung up and lifted her head, before she hopped up and had a quick shower. When she slipped into her pajamas, and went to make something to eat she saw someone sitting at her table. Pulling the knife out of her sleeve she slowly crept up to the man and before he could turn around she had her knife to his throat. 

“Woah! Calm down sunshine.” She growled and pushed his head away, dropping her knife before she did so. 

“Graham, what the hell are you doing here?” She flicked on the lights and he grinned at her. 

“You should learn to cover your tracks…or at least watch your back. I’ve been following you for the past week.” She rolled her eyes. 

“I’m a little busy Graham, I’ve been slightly distracted. Where’s your brother? I’ve never seen you two apart.” He shifted on his feet nervously and she nodded her head. “So I see the Queen sent you to look after me. Well thats good and all, but I don’t need a babysitter.” She crossed her arms across her chest, a defensive position she’d long since acquired. 

“Emma,” He began, taking a step towards her but she stepped out of his reach. 

“Get out. You can tell Regina that I kicked you out, but leave me alone.” He sighed, knowing that if he didn’t do as she asked, she would physically hurt him. 

“Alright, just be careful Ems. I don’t want you getting hurt.” She nodded and opened the door for him. 

“Bye Graham.” She smiled and closed the door behind her before walking back into the bedroom and flopping down on the bed, staring at the ceiling like it would tell her where Killian Jones was.


	2. Um...What?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this story is actually going a different direction than I hoped, so I'm sorry. But I hope you like it!

Chapter 2:

Emma groaned, rolling over and quickly making her way to the door. “Coming! Jesus, calm down.” It wasn’t even seven in the morning yet. “What?” She growled, throwing the door open. 

“Um…I was told to give this to you. He said you needed it right now, and that I wasn’t to leave until you got it.” She frowned at the young boy who stood in front of her. 

“Who told you that?” He shrugged. 

“He told me you’d ask that, he said…um…he said you’d know who it was when you opened it.” He glanced at his watch. “Can I have my ten bucks now? He said you’d pay me and then I can leave for school.” She resisted rolling her eyes, but handed him ten dollars in exchange for the package he was holding. 

“There you go kid. Get out of here.” He nodded. 

“Thanks lady!” Then he was running off down the road and Emma shut the door behind her, frowning at the package in question. It could be an explosive, but then again, it could be harmless. Thanks to Emma’s lifestyle though, she was a tiny bit paranoid. She carefully cut the tape off the box with her knife and peeked inside, breathing a sigh of relief when she did so. There was only a piece of paper, followed by a necklace. 

“What the hell?” She muttered, pulling both items out. 

“My lady Swan, I know you’re trying to find me. I’ll give you a hint, you’re closer than you think. Let me help you, I won’t move from this spot until you find me. Do me a favour and wear this necklace, I think it's rather fitting. Don't you agree? See you soon love.” That son of a bitch. She glanced at the necklace to see it was a swan, how fitting indeed. 

“Wait…” She muttered, staring at everything he sent her. “How the hell…” She frowned, thinking about it. “Closer than I think?” What does he mean by that?! She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. “Wait, he knows where I am. Why hasn't he tried to attack me yet? I need to wake up!” She hissed to herself, smacking herself in the head lightly. “Figure it out Emma!” She groaned and thunked her head against the counter as she sat down. “Wait…that kid came from here didn’t he? So what if…?” She jolted upright, standing immediately. “Nah, that would be too easy…wouldn’t it?” 

oOoOo

Hours passed, and Emma was tired, grumpy, and pissed off. “Who the hell does he think he is anyways?! My lady Swan? Yeah right.” She muttered, glaring at the note in question. Thankfully her phone rang. “Hello?” She asked cautiously, because for all she knows it could be him. 

“Hi Ems!” Oh thank god. 

“Hi Ruby, whats up?” Ruby sounded like she was chewing bubble gum, by the popping noise that was just loud enough to travel over the phone. 

“Okay, so I was investigating Neal Cassidy, Mr Gold and Belle, like you asked me to do. So I did this because you asked Ems. Anyways, as I was investigating, like you asked…” Emma rolled her eyes. 

“Get to the point Ru.” Ruby popped another bubble. 

“Right. So you aren’t going to like this, but Mr Gold is actually Neal’s father right?” Emma’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you know?” Ruby asked quickly. 

“No, I didn’t. Neal told me he had no family.” She muttered, another lie from someone she was supposed to trust. 

“I’m sorry Ems.” She muttered, and by the tone in her voice Emma could tell there was more to this story. 

“What else did you find Ruby?” Emma heard the distinct sound of a car pulling to a stop and she realized Ruby was driving while she gave her this information. 

“Right,” She began. “So get this. Neal actually ran away from home when he was a teenager, and he ran into the Jones brothers. Crazy right?! They’re all connected Ems! The Jones brothers, Neal, Mr Gold, Belle…oh, and Snow is actually Belle’s biological sister. Even more crazy right!?” She paused for a second. “Emma, this is some messed up shit you’re getting into. Are you sure you want to do this? You’re my best friend and I’m supposed to keep you out of these situations.” Emma rolled her eyes. 

“I’ll be fine Ruby…but just in case I’m not would you like to join my hunt? I’ll split the money in half.” She heard a knock on her door. “Just a second.” She pulled out her knife and slowly cracked it open. 

“I knew you were going to say that.” She rolled her eyes and hung up the phone. 

“Hi Ru.” She stepped aside to let her brunette friend enter the room. 

“How did you find me?” Ruby shrugged. 

“I sniffed you out.” She smiled at Emma, who raised her eyebrow. “Kidding, I tracked your cellphone.” She said it like it was an everyday event, and Emma wondered exactly how many times her friend had gotten worried and tracked her cellphone. The time she woke up in the hospital was probably one of them. “So, hows the hunt going Ems? I know he’s a tough man to find.” Her eyes zeroed in on the necklace sitting on the counter. “No way!” Oh god. 

“I should’ve thrown that in the trash.” Emma muttered to herself and Ruby gasped. 

“Not likely! If you did I would’ve killed you myself! Do you know how much this necklace costs?!” Emma shook her head slowly, slightly confused. 

“These are real diamonds. It costs more than you or I’ll make in two months!” Emma stared at her. 

“Seriously?!” Ruby nodded. 

“Trust me Ems. I know this necklace, I’ve been looking at it for months. Where did you get it?!” Emma shrugged, taking the necklace and putting it on for reasons she couldn't understand. 

“I’m not sure. It came in a box today, no address on it at all.” Ruby sighed dramatically. 

“Well, I think you’ve got yourself a secret admirer." Yeah, more like a killer admirer. 

"What's this?" Before Emma could stop her, Ruby picked up the note. Her eyes grew wider with every word that she read and then she glanced at Emma in slight horror. "You didn't tell me he contacted you! The target isn't supposed to know!" Emma sighed, running a hand through her hair. 

"You think I don't know that!?" She nearly yelled, all her frustration of the day threatening to explode. "I've been tearing my hair out trying to figure out how he knows, where he is, how he found me...or even how the hell he knows who I am." She shrugged. "I keep coming up blank." She shrugged and Ruby frowned. 

"I'll call Victor, see if he can find any indication as to where he might be." She nodded. 

“Then I'm off to the store, we are in desperate need of some food." Ruby smiled and waved so Emma quickly left the hotel room, climbed into her car, and breathed a sigh of relief. 

oOoOo

"Hmm...." She stared at the shelves, chewing on her bottom lip. What if he was following her right now? 

"It can't be that hard of a decision." A voice came from beside her and she jumped. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." His British accent was prominent, and when she turned to look at him she was surprised by his shockingly blue eyes. His facial features were soft, framed by dark, somewhat curly hair, and Emma found herself staring. He raised an eyebrow and she blinked. 

"What? Sorry." She muttered, feeling the heat rising to her face as he chuckled at her. 

"It can't be that hard of a decision, can it?" She shook her head, biting her lip again. 

"No, I've just got other things on my mind." His eyes flickered to her lips for a moment, before she saw his tongue dart out to lick his own. She swallowed nervously before turning back to the shelves and running a hand through her hair. 

"That necklace is very beautiful." He muttered and she reached down to twirl it in her fingers, smiling unconsciously. 

"Yeah, it is." He was staring at her, and something about him was so familiar it made her nervous, so she shifted her weight on her feet, feeling the knife she kept stored at her ankle. It calmed her down a little, knowing it was there. He pointed out a few different things before she got everything she needed and was about to leave. When Emma entered the store she noticed all the security cameras, which made it easy to keep her face hidden from view. "Thanks for your help." She smiled and left, ignoring his last question. 

"Wait! What was your name?" Emma didn't answer as she paid and left the store. She didn't know why, but the attractive man was strangely familiar. Where did she know him from?! 

oOoOo

Knock, knock, knock! Emma groaned, heading to the door. "Hello?" She answered sleepily, rubbing her eyes. She had just crawled into bed, figuring out a location that Killian might be, when there was a knock at the door. 

"Hi lady. I was told to give you this." It was the same kid as before. He handed her a piece of paper before running off. 

"Tick tock. Times running out lady Swan. I'm glad you like your necklace. I'm not going to wait much longer." She was tempted to rip the paper up, but she knew she couldn't. As frustrating as these games Killian Jones insisted on playing were, she had to admit she was having a tiny bit of fun. She's always loved being able to figure things out, and then take out her frustrations on the target. "Alright. I'm going to find you." She muttered to herself, shutting the door behind her. Ruby left last night since she got an assignment, and after a ton of apologies and good lucks, followed by please don't die, Emma was alone. But she had a lead to follow today, thanks to Victor and Ruby, so that was worth it. She quickly got dressed, deciding to sleep later, and headed out the door. She didn't relax until she was at the house of a man named Edward Teach. His friends all called him Blackbeard, which was strange to Emma, until she came face to face with him. He refused to talk to her, or give her any information directly, but he did tell her one bit of helpful information. 

"If you want to find the bastard, I suggest you look into their killings." That's all he would say. It's how Emma had wound up at a local café, using their free wifi. 

oOoOo

"Pointless." She muttered, hours of searching later. She'd dug through every article of every murder Killian Jones had committed, every police report, everything in connection to the case, and had come up blank. "Their killings..." She frowned, chewing on her lip while deep in thought. 

"Something troubling you still?" Shit. It was that damn sly-voiced attractive man from before. Well, attractive was putting it lightly. Let's just say, Emma was glad she was working right now. "I never got your name the other day." She shrugged, focusing back on her laptop. 

"And you never will." She replied to which he chuckled. 

"Well, does the beautiful lady with a swan necklace wish for a cup of coffee?" She shook her head. 

"I don't drink coffee with strangers." She frowned slightly, going over all the facts in her head, when she glanced up to see his bright blue eyes staring at her. She nearly blushed. Damn it Emma, you're acting like a crushing school girl! 

"What do you wish for then?" His voice was low, and Emma could hear the implications behind his words. It brought the heat to her face and she quickly glanced at her laptop again. 

"For you to leave me be." She muttered but he just laughed again. 

"What kind of a drink would the lady prefer?" He asked and she sighed. This man who was the complete opposite of unattractive, was really pushing her passed her limits of stress. She bit her lip and stared at him for a moment. 

"Cocoa. With cinnamon." She finally muttered, albeit a little reluctantly, but she couldn't help the ghost of a smile that crossed her face when his face lit up. 

"As you wish." He stood up and Emma was alone again. 

"Their killings." She repeated, thinking hard about Edward Teach's words. He'd emphasized "their" like it's supposed to mean something to her, but she couldn't figure out what. Did he mean the victims? The people who had died? None of this was making any sense! Then again, he could've been lying to her...but her bullshit detector didn't go off, so for now she was safe in assuming he was telling the truth. She growled in frustration and slammed her laptop closed, only to look up and see the attractive man watching her, amusement spread across his face. "What?" She asked annoyed as he sat down again, pushing her drink order towards her slowly. Their fingers touched when she took the mug and it shot electricity up her arm. 

"Work related?" He asked and she frowned. 

"Why do you ask?" She questioned slightly warily. 

"Well I've been here for a while trying to work up the courage to talk to you darling. The entire time I have, you've been frowning at the computer of yours like it's your worst enemy. Most people who get frustrated with something will just give up, unless it's work related." He was watching her? That's so creepy. 

"Yeah, it is work related." Her defence system was in hyper-active, and the fighter in her was telling her that going near this subject was a bad idea. 

"What do you do for a living Miss...?" He left the question hanging and she smiled slightly, shaking her head. 

"You don't get to know my name Mr...?" She copied him and he laughed lightly. She didn't want to admit the way her heart sped up at his smile, or the way that his laugh made her want to laugh. The only thing holding her back was the look in his eyes, it was haunting. He's lost people before, just like her, only he doesn't have a defence system. She could tell that much. 

"I won't tell you mine, if you won't tell me yours." She rolled her eyes. 

"Fair enough." She muttered, swiping some of the whipped cream off the top of her drink, then licking it off her finger. She blushed when she saw his eyes following her finger. They were in the back corner of the café, and if she really felt like it she could grab him by the collar of his shirt and kiss the living day lights out of him. But Emma was a careful woman, and something was telling her she needed to be extra careful around this man. 

"You never answered my question darling." Shit. She was hoping he forgot about that. Play dumb Emma. 

"What question?" She asked, slowly licking more whipped cream off her finger, her eyes never leaving his. She was doing it on purpose now, taking satisfaction in how nervous and uncomfortable it seemed to make him. 

"What do you do for a living?" He repeated, after his eyes flicked from her lips to meet her gaze. 

"Hm...that question." She muttered more to herself than to him, since she just came to the realization she might have been flirting with him. Oh god, Regina would kill her if she got distracted on a case. "Speak of the devil." She muttered as her phone rang. "Hello?" She asked, her face dead panning when she heard the voice on the other end. "Neal, I told you not to phone me ever again." All the happiness she had been feeling from before completely evaporated. 

"I know Ems, but I'm really sorry about what I did. It was stupid and I shouldn't have done it." His tone was begging, and she bit her lip, a worried crease appearing between her eyebrows. 

"I don't care if you're sorry!" She hissed, as quietly as she could so she wouldn't draw attention to herself. She could feel a pair of eyes carving their way into her skull, but she tried to ignore him. 

"Ems please! I've been sentenced to death!" She closed her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath. 

"I really don't give a shit Neal. You can't just do something like that, then come crawling back a few months later with some weak ass apology like that. When I said we were through, I meant it. Don't call me again." She hung up, biting her lip and running a hand through her hair. 

"Is everything alright?" She nodded but she could feel the frown still present on her face. "Who was that, if I might ask?" Her walls were up instantly and she stood up, dropping some money on the table. 

“Thanks for the drink, but I have to go." She muttered, grabbing her things quickly and turning towards the door. She froze when his fingers encircled her wrist and he spun her around to face him again. 

"Will I see you again?" He asked and she smiled sadly at him, pulling her arm free. 

"I'm sorry, I really do have to get going." As if to prove her point her phone rang again. 

"Hello?" She asked, then she grimaced, holding the phone away from her ear as Regina yelled at her. 

"I know! I'm going!" She replied, stepping away from the man before her and waving. 

"Wait!" He called after her and she stopped at the door. "I never got your name." She hesitated before smiling slightly. 

"Emma." She replied, then she took a calming breath and put the phone back to her ear. "Yeah, I'm here. What was that about Ruby?" She asked, the door closing behind her. It didn't occur to her until she was back in her hotel room, that she never got his name.


	3. Oh God, WHY

Chapter 3:

Emma wanted nothing more than for this case to never have come to her. Maybe that way she could've gotten at least a tiny bit of sleep, but between this case, the man from the café, and the fact that Ruby was missing...Emma didn't sleep at all. She went back to the café, ordered her drink, and then sat in the darkest corner of the place, hidden from the view of everyone around her. If anyone asked, she would flash her fake detectives badge, and they would be on their way. The detective badge was a gift from Regina, since Emma had gotten into a few sticky situations before. It also played right into her knack of being able to find people. "Hey, Regina?" She asked as soon as the phone picked up. "Can you send me everything Ruby was working on?" Hesitation. 

"Emma...you're working two cases already." She rolled her eyes. 

"My best friend is missing and you're going to lecture me on taking on the extra case? You know I'll fight you on this so let's save ourselves a lot of time and just send it." Regina sighed. 

"Emma," She began but Emma was running on nearly 72 hours of no sleep, and she was loosing her patience. 

"Regina, send me the damn files before I hop in my car, make my way back to you and shoot you." Silence. 

"They're on their way. Oh, and Miss Swan?" Her serious, boss voice was back, but Emma could hear the worry. "Don't ever threaten me again." The line went dead and Emma slammed her phone down. Lousy job. Lousy boss. Lousy life. Emma was feeling...well, lousy. Her hand resting on her chin, she didn't even realize when her eyes began to close. 

"You know, I'm pretty sure your bed is more than capable of letting you sleep on it." Emma jolted awake, shaking her head slightly. 

"'M not tired." She muttered, rubbing her eyes before glancing at her phone. "Shit!" She hissed, grabbing her phone and quickly checking her messages. Thankfully it was just the emails from Regina, nothing else. Wait a second. "Are you stalking me?" She asked, turning to face the man sitting beside her. 

"I'm afraid not Emma. I come to this cafe everyday, waiting for a blonde haired, hazel eyed, swan necklace wearing girl." She rolled her eyes, turning to open her laptop. 

"Too tired to argue." She muttered and his face became laced with concern. 

"How long has it been since you last slept Emma?" She thought for a second, blinking away her heavy eyelids. 

"Two days?" She frowned. "No that can't be right..." She trailed off, thinking for a second. "Maybe three days? Not exactly sure. It's nothing new." She shrugged and tried to focus her eyes on her laptop. 

"Three days?!" He asked, incredulous and she nodded. 

"Yeah...the last time we talked, that was yesterday right?" He shook his head. 

"Two days ago." Did she really lose a day trying to figure this all out? 

"Then it's been four days." She concluded, pulling up Ruby's file and examining the contents. "And I have gotten an hour or so here and there, just not enough." She turned back to the file. Most of it was about Neal's case and she slammed her laptop shut, crossing her arms on the table in front of her and resting her chin on them with a sigh. 

"Emma, you can't go four days without sleep! It isn't healthy." She rolled her eyes, rubbing her temple as she tried to figure out what was going on. 

"I've been longer." She thought for a second. Ruby was working Neal's case as a favor to her, and she had shut down on Neal when he phoned...did he kidnap Ruby as revenge? 

"Emma? Did you hear me?" She opened her eyes, unaware she had closed them again. 

"No...sorry." He shook his head slightly. 

"I asked if you wanted a refill on the drink." She nodded slowly, attempting to ignore the worried look on his face. Why should she care if he was worried, they barely knew each other. She didn't even know his name for crying out loud! It didn't matter that her heart fluttered every time she saw him, or the fact that his smile was contagious, or the fact that Emma wanted nothing more than to kiss him senseless. None of that mattered, because she was working. Her eyes flew open when she heard the sound of the mug on the table. 

"You fell asleep." He had a smirk on his face, but she shook her head. 

"No I didn't! I was just thinking." She replied, sitting up and he raised an eyebrow. 

"With your eyes closed?" She nodded. "Alright then." She gratefully took the drink and sighed when she took a large sip of it. 

"Hot." She smiled slightly, ignoring the man next to her who looked at her curiously. 

"So you never did answer what you do for a living." She didn't want to. 

"You seem like a man who would be able to guess, so why not try?" She needed to stay awake right now. Ruby was depending on her. 

"Well, you don't seem like an office worker." She shook her head as his eyes never left hers. "And you seem to have flexible hours, so I doubt it's a job where you have to show up everyday. Not to mention something happened to stress you out, and your phone doesn't stop ringing." She nodded and before he could say anything else, her phone rang. 

"Hello?" She answered, smiling apologetically at him and a wave of relief washed through her. 

"Ems, I don't have much time." It was Ruby, but her voice was quiet like she was trying not to be heard. 

"Ruby, where the hell are you!?" She didn't care if the man next to her was listening. 

"I don't know, he grabbed me out of nowhere. Listen Ems, it's about your case." She hesitated but continued, it made Emma wonder if she was panicking. "It's a frame job. He's innocent. They weren't killed by him." She frowned. 

"Ruby what do you mean? What's going on?" He's innocent?! What the hell is going on. 

"I've gotta go Ems, he's coming back. Stay safe. Love ya bestie. I know you'll find me." She heard a male voice that sound so familiar, that she dropped her phone. 

"Emma?" She was so tired, but now everything was even more confusing. 

"Their killings...innocent..." She muttered, chewing on her bottom lip and opening her laptop again before she pulled up all the information she had. 

"Is everything alright?" She ignored him, staring at all the information. 

"Son of a bitch." She hissed, dialing Regina's number as fast as she could. 

"Miss Swan? If you're phoning to threaten me again I'm afraid you might be on the next assignment." She rolled her eyes. 

"Regina, stop and listen for a moment. I got a phone call from Ruby, she said it's all a set up. All of it." She dropped her voice to a whisper, completely forgetting the man beside her. "I know who has her and he's not going to let her go anytime soon." Emma knew where Regina's mind would go. 

"Killian Jones?" She asked. 

"No, Ruby said he was being framed, and after looking at all the details it makes sense now. The person at the center of all of this, someone who was able to disappear without a trace....it's Neal. Regina it's not Jones, it's Neal." Silence. 

"Find him. Do whatever it takes to bring Ruby home safely, you hear me?" She smiled, relaxing slightly. 

"I hear you. Believe me, I'll call you when I find her." This was a messy assignment. Or as Ruby said, some messed up shit. How is she going to tell Snow and Charming, two people intent on hiring someone to kill Killian Jones. 

"So I guess you know the truth now love." She froze, her smile slipping away as she turned to face the man beside her. 

"I'm sorry?" The haunting look was back in his eyes, and she crossed her arms over her chest. He glanced at his hands, which were sitting on the table, before he looked at her again. She was curious at the look in his eyes, it was almost as if he was pleading for forgiveness. 

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you love." She frowned. Love? What's with that all of a sudden. Wait.... "It's nice to officially meet you, my lady Swan." 

oOoOo

She slammed the hotel door shut, cursing herself and everything around her. How could she not have noticed!? “Idiot!” She hissed running her hands through her hair. She’d been this close to him the entire time, she could’ve killed him! But then…wouldn’t she have killed an innocent man? Doesn’t matter. She would’ve finished the job she was hired to do. Only thing is, Emma doesn’t kill innocent people, its not her thing. If they’ve done something wrong, extremely wrong, then she’s all for it. But never an innocent. “Doesn’t matter Emma.” She muttered, glancing at her watch. She had time to get back and get to Ruby. Neal would’ve taken her somewhere that Emma would know, it was payback to get at her after all….at least, kidnapping Ruby was. The other things he’s going to go down for, like killing quite a few innocent people, well…Emma knew he was evil all along. There was an impatient knocking at her door and she groaned. “Leave me the hell alone.” She muttered, but headed towards the door anyways. When she opened it, she immediately went to shut it again, but he stuck his foot in the way. 

“Emma, love, please. I can help you.” She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t close the door. His foot must be hurting, because she slammed it pretty hard, but if it was he wasn’t saying anything. 

“How can you help me?” Her walls were up, and she was highly doubtful he could help. 

“Because I know Neal.” He had a point, but she knew Neal too…more than she would like to say. Automatically her hand came up to trace a thin scar on her collarbone, then she caught herself and moved her hand away. 

“Whatever Jones.” She narrowed her eyes at him but the way he was looking at her made her stomach twist. 

“At least get some ice for my foot darling, that door hurt like a son of a bitch.” She knew it. 

“Fine. Come on in then. I guess.” She muttered, standing aside as he limped into her room. Shit. He was in her hotel room. 

“Who pays for this?” She heard him mutter and she smiled slightly. 

“I do.” She replied, heading to the freezer to get some ice cubes, which she wrapped in a damp cloth and handed it to him. 

“Thank you darling.” She rolled her eyes, sitting opposite him on the couch, her feet curling under her automatically. 

“I’m not your darling, or your love, or anything.” She muttered and he looked at her strangely. 

“Then what are you?” She stared at him, her scared hazel eyes meeting his curious blue ones. 

"Well...I'm Emma." She shrugged. "That's all I ever have to be." She pointed to her homemade ice pack. "You need to make sure that doesn't stay on there too long, it'll take the swelling down, but you don't want to give yourself any other problems." He nodded, glancing at her. 

"You've done this a lot?" She nodded, standing up and walking to the fridge to grab two beer before returning. She felt nervous, and definitely needed something to calm her nerves. 

"Yeah, I used to help all the kids when they needed it...not to mention living with Ne-" She fell silent. She'd said too much. 

"All the kids? Big family there, love?" He raised an eyebrow as she shook her head, taking a sip of her beer. 

"No...quite the opposite actually." She shrugged, checking her watch before sighing. It was late in the evening, she's avoided food all day again, and her lack of sleep was beginning to catch up with her. She needed a distraction, something to keep her awake. She bit her lip, watching his eyes travel down to it as she drew his attention there. 

"Nervous habit?" She nodded her head slowly. "Tell me about yourself Emma." She shook her head. 

“You know enough about me. Tell me why the hell I should believe you.” He chuckled lightly. 

"Subtly not one of your strong suits I see." She glared at him but instantly regretted that. He had a smirk on his face, and she wanted to smack him...or find some other way to wipe it off his face. Wait, where did that thought come from? Focus Emma. 

"At least tell me how you knew." She mumbled somewhat quietly, to which he sighed. 

"Fine. I knew someone was searching for me, I'd been informed that someone by the name of Swan was going to complete a hit on me. I'd also been informed Swan was a woman, so when I saw that necklace I bought it. I had no idea it was you, until after I saw it on you in the grocery store." She placed her empty beer bottle on the table. 

"But you knew after that. So why did you follow me to the cafe?" He finished his beer and placed it next to hers. 

"Because you didn't recognize me, and I have to admit love, you are a rather curious woman. I wasn't lying, I really did spend a long while working up the courage to talk to you darling." Maybe it was a British thing, but she could've sworn she told him to stop calling her love and darling. 

"You wanted to talk to me? Why?" She really was curious, nobody ever talks to her unless they have a good reason. It's always been that way, ever since she was a little girl. His eyes met hers and she felt heat rising to her cheeks. The way he was staring at her, it made her heart jump and her stomach twist. 

"Because I wanted to know you love. I wanted to know why you've got a scar on your collarbone, why you've got walls that seem impossible to break through, why you say the things you do. I want to know you Emma." The way he said her name...it made her insides flutter with feelings. Feelings she hadn't felt in a long time, ones she needed to push away. His eyes never left hers, and she tried to ignore everything that was written in them. She couldn't do this. What if he really isn't innocent? She'd end up hurt and alone again. She can't do that. "So tell me love, will you trust me?" She bit her lip, thinking about it. Her bullshit detector hadn't gone off once, so as far as she could tell...he was telling the truth. She jumped when his fingers lightly pulled her lip from under her teeth, his hand lingering on her face. 

"Killian?" She asked, and his eyes flickered to hers, a hunger there she had picked up on a moment too late. He leaned over and kissed her, it was soft and sweet, but she froze momentarily. That is, until her mind went blank and she was unaware of her response, her arms around his neck and her fingers in his hair. When she gained control of her brain again she pulled away, trying to ignore the squealing happiness throughout her, and the fact that breathing was rather difficult at this moment in time. 

"Emma, I-" She shook her head. 

"That was a one time thing Jones. It can't happen again." Why would it? He's probably just going to leave once this was over anyways. At least she could say she at least kissed him. 

"As you wish love." Thankfully there was a knock at her door just then. "You expecting company?" She shook her head, standing quickly and pulling her knife out from around her ankle before she opened the door. 

"Emma!" She narrowed her eyes, holding him against the wall with her knife to his throat. "Woah there sunshine. Calm down!" She glared at him. 

"I told you to go away Graham." He laughed, pushing her hand away. 

"Relax cupcake. I'm here because Regina told me to assist you." Oh great. If she was working with Graham, who's had a totally obvious crush on her since forever, and Killian, who she just made out with passionately...well, this is a shitty situation. 

"And I told you before. I can handle myself." She sheathed her knife and he narrowed his eyes. 

"I'm just trying to help Emma!" She rolled her eyes. 

"I don't need your help! I can handle this on my own!" Her fists were clenched at her sides and she forgot Killian was even there. 

"Ruby's not just your friend Emma! She's my friend too! I deserve to help." She dropped her angry expression, and her voice became like steel. 

"I'm the reason he has her Graham. I'm going to be the one who finds her. Now if you don't leave me alone, I will have to personally throw you out." Her arms crossed over her chest and he narrowed his eyes. 

"No. I'm going to help. I don't need you to give me permission, you need my help and I need to make sure you're safe." That was not the right thing to say to an extremely stressed out Emma who had little to no sleep for the last few days. 

"YOU need to make sure I'm safe?! Well I've got some news for you Graham, I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself! Kinda been doing that my entire life so why stop now! As for you helping, this is my case. It came to me. Neal's a god damn son of a bitch who deserves to die, and I've been waiting forever to do it. So if you want to stand between me and that bastard who put me in the hospital, I'm all for taking you both out. Because Graham, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, right now I'm not exactly liking you. Ruby may have been your friend, but she's like a sister to me. And I got her into this mess, so god damn it Graham I am getting her out! Without your stupid ass dragging behind." She was yelling, but she didn't care. "So get your stupid ass out of my room before I punch you in the face." He glared at her for a second before spinning on his heel and walking to the door. 

"I hope you know that if Ruby winds up dead, it's your fault." He slammed the door right as she threw her knife at it. Her knife stuck in the door right where his head had been. She ran a hand through her hair and bit her lip. He was right. If Ruby ended up dead, it was her fault. She jumped when she felt Killian wiping her face. 

"It's alright love. You'll get her back." She hadn't realized she was crying. 

"You don't know that." She muttered and he shrugged. 

"But, you don't seem like the type to fail. So I'm sure you'll have no trouble in rescuing Ruby." She didn't realize his hand was still on her face, otherwise she would've pulled away. 

"You really think so?" She asked, looking into his sincere blue eyes as he nodded. For some reason she was calmer now and she couldn't figure out why. Her stomach chose that exact moment to complain about it's lack of food and she blushed. "Are you hungry? I can make us some food." He nodded slowly and she smiled, stepping out of his grasp. She wasn't going to let him get close to her, not if he was going to leave...but as soon as she was away from him she felt colder. Why is it him? Why did thoughts of him keep her up all night? Why is he able to control her like this? 

"Thanks love." That word caused her heart to stutter, which was something new to her, but only occurred around him. How strange. 

"I'm only doing it cause I'm hungry. Otherwise you wouldn't be getting any at all." She muttered defensively and he laughed. 

"Right. Okay then darling, what have you got?" And just like that, Emma began to wish her mind could've been changed.


	4. Where Is She?!

Chapter 4:

They ate in silence as Emma scanned the files on Neal. She knew a few places he could be holding Ruby, but if he really was doing this to get at her...well, none of those places seemed to suit the crime. “Did you check his house in New York?” Killian asked and she frowned slightly. 

“I thought he sold that place?” Killian shook his head. 

“How long were you with him?” His voice was tentative, like he knew this was a tough subject for her, but her walls were up anyways. 

“Not too long. It was a long while ago.” She bit her lip but kept her eyes on the computer screen. 

“Is he the one who hurt you?” She glanced up to meet his eyes. That was a mistake, because once their eyes met she had trouble looking away. “You don’t have to tell me love.” She hadn’t realized she stopped breathing, so she just nodded and ran a hand through her hair. 

“It’s just…nobody’s really asked that before. I’m sorry.” He frowned at her as she finished her instant noodle dinner. 

“You don’t have to apologize for feeling love.” She just nodded in response, falling silent. The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall. Finally Emma couldn't take the silence anymore, so she broke it. 

"Tomorrow...you want to leave to check his house in New York?" She asked tentatively, and he nodded, grateful for conversation it seemed. 

"If that's alright with you love." He was giving her a choice? Nobody ever let's her choose. 

"Yeah, I think it might be where Ruby is." He nodded and she bit her lip again. 

"You'll find her Emma. I know you will." She nearly rolled her eyes. 

"You can't know that. You don't know me." She retaliated, standing up and closing her laptop. 

"Then tell me something about you." She shook her head. 

"That's not how this works Killian. I'm not going to tell you something, only to have you run off as soon as you can. So I'm not going to tell you anything unless it's relevant to this case." She walked over and grabbed the empty beer bottles and their empty food containers, disposing of them before she made her way back to her seat. 

"That's how you think it works?" His voice was confused but Emma just nodded. 

"That's how it's always worked." She mumbled quietly, a thought occurring to her. "Shit!" She pulled out her cellphone, followed by a piece of paper. "Just...wait a second. I have a work call to make." He nodded in understanding and she dialed the number. "Hi, it's Swan." She stood and walked over to the fridge. "No...I was calling because I discovered something..." She hesitated, but continued anyways. "Yes I found him. But listen to me, I'm pretty positive he's being framed." She frowned. "That means he's innocent." She continued, her frown deepening. "Well I'm sorry, but that's not how I operate Charming. Put Snow on the phone." A few seconds later, after explaining herself again, Emma was afraid her frown was going to be permanent. "Snow, you're asking me to kill an innocent man. I'm not okay with that. Look, I know where he's going to be for the next few days, think it over and give me a call back alright. Bye." She hung up, running her hand through her hair before kicking over the chair closest to her. "Damn it!" She hissed as Killian raised an eyebrow at her. Damn him. Damn everyone! Emma was just so done with people. 

"Are you okay love?" Damn his smooth, sexy, accented voice that made Emma's body relax slightly. 

"No I'm not okay." She muttered and he stood up, a slight crease in his eyebrows. 

"They won't drop the hit?" She shook her head. "And you refuse to kill an innocent. Which means you believe me, and probably trust me." He grinned slightly but she glared at him. How the hell did he know that? Perceptive bastard. 

"Whatever. They have a few days while they think it over. If they don't drop the hit...well, you might not want to stick around." She was both hopeful that he would, and hopeful that he wouldn't. Emma's playing a dangerous game here, she's dancing on a thin line, but she couldn't be any happier about it. She's missed the thrill of adventure and the adrenaline rush. Just because Killian was one of the best looking men Emma knew, doesn't mean she should give into her temptation. Thus, the dangerous dance continues. 

oOoOo

They somehow returned to the couch and Emma was fighting to keep her eyes open. She was curious as to why he hadn't left yet, but she soon found out the reason. "I've been meaning to ask Emma, would you mind terribly if I crashed on your couch? I was supposed to get a new hotel room, but I've been slightly distracted today." She stared at him. It was taking every ounce of strength that she had, not to offer him the bed. With the way he was staring at her, his eyes flickering to her lips and back, well...let's just say it wasn't helping. 

"Fine. But only because it'll allow us to leave earlier. I'll grab you a pillow and a blanket." She quickly stood up and nearly ran into the bedroom, returning a second later with aforementioned objects. 

"Thanks darling." He smiled at her and oh god, she wanted to kiss him again. Focus Emma. 

"Yeah." She checked her watch before she sank back onto the couch and rubbed her temple. 

"Are you alright?" She nodded slowly. 

"Yeah, I've just got to wait ten more minutes in case I get a call from my boss, or her lackey. She's going to lecture me about Graham again. Thank god he didn't see you, otherwise that would've been a whole other situation." She shuddered and Killian chuckled lightly, bringing the ghost of a smile to her face. She curled her legs up under her, as she sat sideways on the couch, her whole body facing him. 

"What's the story with you and Graham?" He asked and she shrugged, yawning slightly. He smiled at that and she ignored the way it made her feel. 

"There isn't one. He's totally in love with me, and it's so obvious everyone knows. He's just...not what I need. He's annoying with his protectiveness." She paused, thinking for a second. "He treats me like I'm fragile, like I could break at any second. While that's flattering...it's also rather annoying. I can handle myself, I've done that my entire life, and no matter how many times someone tells me I'm not good enough or I'll never make it, I just prove them wrong. So the whole, I-want-to-be-your-partner-to-make-sure-you-stay-safe thing...it gets on my nerves. I can handle myself. I'm in charge of protecting me. Not some guy who follows me around like a love-sick puppy and tries to impress me every time he sees me, but in return doesn't care about what I want." She shrugged, playing with a loose thread on the couch, her eyes threatening to close. 

"Makes sense love." What? He understood? "He was a little intense from what I could see." Killian was agreeing with her? "Besides, I don't doubt that you can take care of yourself. From what I've seen these past few days...minus the fact you don't seem to eat regularly or sleep enough to be healthy, you seem to be perfectly capable of it." His voice was like a melody and Emma couldn't help it, she could hear him continue talking but her eyes fluttered and she fell asleep. Her last thought before she couldn't think anymore, was that she hopes she doesn't snore tonight. 

oOoOo

Ring! Ring! Emma frowned, rubbing her eyes. She was still so tired, but she had to answer her currently ringing phone. "Miss Swan! Why didn't you answer my phone call last night?" She rubbed her eyes, finally waking up enough to realize she was still on the couch and Killian was awake, drinking what appeared to be coffee. 

"Sorry Regina, I hadn't slept much for the past four days. I passed out." Regina sighed and Emma envisioned her pinching the bridge of her nose. 

"Emma, how many times have I told you that sleep is the most important thing for this job!" Emma grimaced slightly. 

"Sorry Regina...why are you calling?" She asked, although she already knew the reason. 

"Graham." Regina replied, right as Killian sneezed. And what an adorable sneeze it was, although it probably got her in trouble. Thankfully he had just put his coffee down or that would've been a whole other issue. "Who was that?" Regina asked cautiously and Emma bit her lip. 

"That was Charles. He's...uh, he's helping me on this case. He was a friend of Neal's and so he knows a few things that are very helpful." She paused and then added. "It's also why I sent Graham away yesterday. I mean, he didn't know Neal so he wasn't going to be much help here anyways." Regina sighed heavily before speaking again.

"This Charles, he's not actually Charles is he?" Damn Regina was good. 

"I don't know what you mean Miss Mills. Look, we're heading to a place that Neal could quite possibly be holding Ruby today. I'll let you know if I find anything." She was done with this conversation. 

"Oh, Emma?" She waited. "Be careful will you. There isn't any evidence to prove his innocence yet." She giggled quietly. 

"I know, but trust me on this one. Okay?" She quickly said goodbye before hanging up. 

"Sorry love." She waved her hand dismissively before she stood up and stretched, her body stiff from sleeping oddly. 

"It's alright. I'm not in any trouble." She glanced at her watch and sighed. "Give me ten minutes." She muttered before she ran off to get ready. 

oOoOo

It was quiet as they drove, for which Emma was grateful. It allowed her time to think and plan. Ruby was important to them all, Emma especially since she was her first friend when Emma had gotten her first job, they moved onto their current jobs together. The wolf charm Ruby had given Emma hung from the mirror in her car and Emma tried not to glare at it. "Everything alright Emma?" Killian asked, breaking the silence. 

"What? Oh. Yeah." But she bit her lip and he caught that. 

"I bet you're shit at poker." She rolled her eyes to his statement, pulling to a stop at a diner. 

"I'm actually rather good at poker." She muttered, turning the car off and checking her phone. 

"We'll have to play one day." He replied and she nodded absentmindedly. 

"Yeah. Maybe." He grinned, leaning closer to her. 

"Maybe a game of strip poker." He winked at her but she just shook her head. 

"If we played strip poker, I'm afraid you'd be the only one naked." He raised an eyebrow at her and she immediately tried to get that thought out of her head. 

"I doubt that love, I'm quite adept at taking people's clothes." She tried not to blush, but it wasn't easy. 

"Whatever Jones. I've got something to do here." She hopped out of the car, grateful for the cool air that greeted her. Sadly he followed her inside, but he might just be hungry. 

"Just a second!" She sat down at the end of the counter. 

"Take your time." She smiled as the person straightened and spun around, a smile on her face. 

"Emma! My dear!" She moved around the counter to give her a hug. "What brings you to my neck of the woods? And who's this handsome devil you've brought with you?" She rolled her eyes. 

"This is-" She couldn't very well say Killian Jones.

"Charles." Killian held out his hand and shook hers. 

"Everyone calls me Granny." He smiled slightly but Emma could see the confusion. 

"I just have a few questions." Emma began and Granny stared at her for a moment. 

"Have you eaten today Emma?" She shook her head. 

"No but-" Granny cut her off. 

"Eat first. I'll answer questions after. If only I had more staff..." She trailed off, heading to the kitchen. Emma sighed, muttering quietly to herself. 

"How do you know her?" Killian asked and Emma stopped muttering. 

"She's Ruby's grandmother. When I first met Ruby she and I both worked here. We moved onto our other job together...they we're always like family to me." She shrugged slightly and he smiled at her. 

"Doesn't your job bother your parents, love?" She shook her head, her walls slowly popping into place. 

"No parents to worry about. Just me." Granny reappeared at that time and Emma's attention was diverted, but not before she saw a look of slight surprise cross Killian's face. 

"Alright, Emma what's going on? You and Ruby always stop by together. Where is she?" Emma swallowed nervously and Killian touched their knees together. It wasn't anything big, but it calmed her nonetheless. 

"She's been taken. I'm sorry Granny, I really am. That's why we're here." She indicated Killian and herself. "I'm going to find her, but I have to know if she's contacted you at all in the past few days." Granny shook her head, sighing slightly. 

"That girl sometimes goes weeks without talking to me, her life's too busy I suppose. If I hear from her I'll give you a call, but I really haven't heard anything." Emma nodded slowly and Granny was called, returning a second later with two hot dinner plates, a cup of cocoa with cinnamon, and a coffee. "I know you'll find her Emma. Ruby's tough, she'll be okay. Don't you worry." She patted Emma's hand, to which she smiled slightly, before Granny walked away to talk to the new customers that entered the diner. 

"Don't worry." Emma muttered to herself before shaking her head slightly. "Like that's possible." She didn't notice Killian watching her closely before she began to eat, and he dug into his own food. 

oOoOo

They pulled up in front of Neal's apartment and Emma stared at the slightly lit building in heavy anticipation. She didn't want to see this building again, let alone have to go upstairs. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to." She nodded, smiling slightly at Killian. 

"I know...but if there is the slightest chance Ruby could be in there..." He nodded. 

"Lead the way." She entered the lobby to be greeted by Leroy, the grumpy security guard. 

"You can't go up there." He mumbled and Emma pulled out her key. 

"Sorry Leroy, Neal said I could. I had a few things left to get anyways." He rolled his eyes but sat down. 

"Whatever. Just don't take too long." She nodded and quickly made her way to the elevator, Killian joining her. 

"Still have the key?" He asked, eyebrows raised and she shook her head. 

"No. It's the key to my place, he didn't know any different." Killian smiled at her. 

"Are you sure you're just a mercenary?" She grinned but didn't reply. When they got to Neal's door, Emma quickly picked the lock. "That...was rather skilled actually. Where did you learn that darling?" He really did sound curious and Emma nearly smiled. 

"That is a story for another time." She replied, pulling out her knife and walking into the room. It was messy, and there was dust everywhere, but no Ruby. Also no clues as to where to find Ruby. There was just one last room to look in. Emma slowly pushed open the door and was shocked when her knife went flying out of her hands as a movement close to her left her arm bleeding. 

"Hello Ems, lovely to see you." Neal muttered as he held her still from behind. Her eyes momentarily widened in fear before she got a hold of herself and stomped on his foot. He immediately released her arms and she spun around kicking him in the stomach and sending him backwards. "Now is that any way to greet me Emma?" He sounded breathless, but that's probably cause she winded him. She ignored him and blocked his attacks, but the fifth one slipped through her defenses and she doubled over in pain. "Serves you right bitch." He spat, but then she heard Killian coming to the door. 

"Emma?" He asked, trying the door handle but she was blocking it with her body. 

"Your friend is pretty strong, she won't hold out forever though. I bet she's glad nobody can hear her scream." Then he was gone, climbing out the window and heading down the fire escape into the night. Emma moved slightly, wincing in pain but allowing Killian enough room to open the door. 

"Oh god. Emma you're bleeding! What happened?" She shrugged, wincing again. 

"Neal. He's gone, but I've got an idea of where he might be." He helped her up and she grabbed her knife off the floor. "For now I need to clean myself up." She muttered and Killian just shook his head in disbelief. 

"You're slightly insane darling." She frowned at him. 

"Insane? Possibly. I'm just pissed because he ruined my favorite shirt." Killian chuckled lightly before they left together, heading to her car. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like you to drive." She was in a lot of pain, but didn't want to show it. 

"As you wish." She smiled gratefully, climbing into the passengers seat. It was silent until they got to the hotel...to which they only had one room. Well shit, Emma didn't want to have to deal with that! But she was going to have too since that's all that was available. Oh well. He shut the door behind them and Emma sank into the chair, her bag of medical supplies open beside her on the table. "Need a hand?" Killian asked and she paused in her attempt to wrap her left forearm. 

"Please." He moved closer to assist her and fifteen minutes later she finished bandaging herself and managed to fight the blush from staining her face. "You better get some rest, tomorrow's going to be a long day." She mumbled and he nodded slowly, standing the same time she did. She glanced up at him, blushing when she remembered the last time they were this close, before she stepped away. "Goodnight Jones." She muttered and he nodded slowly. 

"Goodnight love." She bit her lip slightly, before retreating to the bedroom. That would be an issue for tomorrow.


	5. Missing

Chapter 5:

Emma didn't sleep much. Between Killian, being worried about Ruby, her injuries, and nightmares...well, Emma woke up screaming and didn't go back to sleep after that. Once she got tired of sitting around, Emma carefully pulled the door open and snuck quietly into the kitchen. She couldn't tell if Killian was asleep or not and she had to fight the urge to check. However she did not want to wake him up, it would only result in questions. She opened her laptop at the kitchen table, and decided to set herself up for disappointment. She pulled up a case file, one she hadn’t opened in months, and just stared at it. Nothing had changed, nothing would ever change. The file hasn't changed her entire life, why would it change now. "What're you doing awake, love?" She jumped, quickly shutting her laptop before he could read anything. 

"Couldn't sleep." She muttered to the darkness, hearing him sit next to her. She slowly opened her laptop again, closing what she had open before he could see and letting the light illuminate them both. "I didn't wake you did I?" He shook his head but Emma could see he was lying. 

"Not at all darling, I was worried though. I heard you scream..." She stared at her fingers as he continued. "I was going to check and see if you were alright...but then I-" He stopped and her eyes widened. He heard her. Oh god, he heard her. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling before she spoke, voice slightly shaky. 

"You heard me crying didn't you?" He hesitated before nodding. 

"Aye, that I did." She sighed slightly, but he reached over and placed his hand on hers. She stared at it for a second before looking up at him curiously. 

"It's alright to have nightmares Emma." He smiled slightly, but she could see these words were causing him slight pain. "I used to get them all the time after my brother was killed." Oh. Emma didn't know what to say. "He was the only family I had left, so when he was killed...I was alone." He met her eyes. "I know Neal hurt you, in more ways than one judging from your comments, and now he's taken your family. So I understand love, I won't judge you." She linked her fingers with his slowly, her eyes never leaving his. 

"Thank you." She meant it. She had no words to say, but her actions let him know exactly what she was trying to communicate. She had to admit, even though he annoyed the hell out of her, he seemed like a pretty decent guy. That made Emma want to clear his name more than she did before. 

"So are you going to tell me why you're so closed off?" She might as well...it is slightly relevant now. 

"Well...I guess I can chalk that up to Neal...I mean, I was only seventeen when I met him." She paused slightly, staring at their still intertwined hands. "I wasn't exactly a poster child, I was stealing and things." He raised an eyebrow and she giggled quietly. "Hey, I had to do what I had to do. I needed to live." He frowned but didn't press her. "Anyways, I met Neal when I was trying to steal my current car and..." She hesitated but Killian filled in the blanks. 

"You fell in love with him." She nodded slowly. 

"Yeah, at first I thought he was a great guy...but that's when I started getting hurt." She pulled her shirt aside to reveal the long scar that ran across her collarbone. "Ruby tracked my cellphone and I woke up in a hospital...that's the day I planned on ending it, but I didn't. I couldn't. He apologized and acted like he didn't mean to do it. So I stayed." She shrugged. "I'm sure you saw the scars earlier from when I was bandaging my stomach?" Killian nodded. "After I got those, I ended it...ever since then I've had a hard time letting people get close enough to me." Except him, right now. She hadn't told anyone this story before, mainly because she couldn't keep her walls down long enough for her to tell it. Except with him. 

"I'm sorry you had to go through that love." His voice was sincere as his thumb traced patterns on their still linked hands. 

“Me too.” She mumbled before she pulled her hand away. He was too close, she needed to put some distance between them. It was silent for a moment while she stared at her computer. “Thirsty…” Emma mumbled, standing up and quickly walking to the sink. “Did you want anything?” She asked over her shoulder. 

“No thank you.” She got herself a glass of water before returning to her seat. She chewed her lip slowly, staring at her water like it would tell her all the answers she needed to here. “Something else is bothering you.” It wasn’t a question, but she nodded slowly anyways. 

“It’s just…nothing.” She curled her legs up to her chest, placing the cup on the table. 

“Emma,” He began but she bit her lip again. 

“Is it wrong to be scared?” She mumbled, her voice quiet. 

“Scared?” She nodded. 

“I’m supposed to be efficient, a killing machine. No feelings or anything when it comes to the job. But…Neal…is it so wrong to be scared that the outcome might not be him dying?” It could be Killian, and that thought was terrifying Emma. She’d gotten used to having him around, even if it had only been two days. Why is that? 

“I believe that being scared is a natural human emotion love. Especially when one is in a situation like yours.” She smiled and nodded slightly, deciding to lighten the mood and move away from this topic. 

“A situation like mine? That implies that many people have been ordered to kill their abusive ex-boyfriends…is this a subject you know well?” He narrowed his eyes at her. 

“What exactly are you saying Emma?” She giggled, waving her hand dismissively. 

“Nothing, nothing.” She turned to her laptop but she could feel his eyes on her. She just pulled up Netflix and scrolled through the movies listed there, until she found her favourite one.

“Really?” She nodded. 

“I’m not going back to sleep, so unless you have any other words of wisdom, I’m watching a damn movie.” He chuckled lightly. 

“Mind if I join you? The Shining is one of my favourite movies.” Her head snapped in his direction, eyebrows raised. 

“Seriously?” She asked and he nodded. 

“Would I lie?” She stared at him for a moment, hazel eyes meeting blue ones, but she saw no lie written there. 

“Guess not. Sure, if you want.” He grinned and pulled his chair closer slightly as she turned the movie on.

oOoOo

“Come on Jones!” She crossed her arms, but this time not defensively. He was talking forever and she was slightly pissed off. 

“Just hold on!” He retaliated and she groaned but leaned against the car, waiting. After they finished The Shining they had moved onto Friday The 13th, which Emma had seen many times before. Killian however…he had not. She nearly died of laughter when he was actually scared of the damn movie. She wanted to watch another one, but he refused to see anything scary. What a baby. “Sorry.” He muttered, finally coming out of the cabin Neal used to live at. 

“What was that all about?” He just shook his head. 

“I left something here, I wanted to get it back.” She nodded in understanding and the climbed into the car. 

“Okay, there is only one other place he could be. His cabin in the woods.” That brought a smile to her face. “You know…” She began but Killian held up his hand. 

“No Swan. No.” She giggled. 

“Whatever Jones, you big baby.” She swung the car around and began the drive to his other cabin. “Cabin in The Woods was a great movie.” He shook his head. “Okay Jones, do tell me one thing.” She began, keeping her eyes on the road ahead of them. 

“What do you wish to know, milady?” She rolled her eyes. 

“Shut up. How is it, that you could watch The Shining, but get terrified at Friday the 13th? Are you perhaps not good with horror films after all?” She tried to fight her smile, but he didn’t appreciate her teasing him. 

“Well, Swan, I’ve seen one of those movies before quite a few times. Friday the 13th however, was a movie that had not yet crossed my path.” His voice gave away that he was scared just remembering it. 

“Fair enough Jones, but now I have a secret weapon.” She muttered to which he just chuckled nervously, his hand moving to scratch behind his ear. 

“Right.” It fell silent after that, and Emma realized that if they found Ruby and Neal’s hit was completed…she had no reason to see Killian anymore. His name would be cleared and he could go back to whatever the hell he was doing before. That thought alone was enough to wipe the smile off her face as her teeth chewed on her bottom lip. If he saw, he didn’t comment on it.

oOoOo

“Are you ready?” He asked and she nodded, stepping out of the car and pulling out her knife. “I’ve been meaning to ask love, why a knife?” She shrugged to his question. 

“Perhaps it's because they cause more damage.” She replied before she walked up to the cabin door and picked the lock. 

"Need to learn that." He muttered quietly, but it made her smile. She carefully pushed open the door, took a deep breath, and then stepped inside. Ruby was strapped to a chair in the middle of the room, eyes wide and struggling. 

"Ru, is he still here?" She shook her head and Emma ran over to her, sheathing her knife. She untied the gag around Ruby's mouth and before she could say anything Ruby was going off. 

"God damn son of a bitch! Do you know what he did to me Ems?! He tried to kill me! I swear to you if I get my hands on him he's going to regret it! I'll tear him to shreds with my bare hands if I have too!" While Ruby was ranting, Emma untied her from the chair, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I'm not joking Ems!" She insisted as Killian leaned against the wall, an amused look on his face. Emma caught his twinkling eyes and shrugged slightly. "Ems! Are you listening to me?" Emma nodded. 

"Yes Ru, I'm listening. You're going to kill Neal. Get in line." Ruby smiled slightly and threw her arms around Emma. 

"I told you." She grinned and Emma frowned slightly, a teensy bit uncomfortable with the hug. 

"Told me what?" Ruby laughed quietly, wincing a little. 

"I told you you'd find me. You always do." Emma rolled her eyes and turned her around. 

“Not always. Now march Ruby. You're in need of medical attention." Ruby groaned but stopped when she finally noticed Killian. 

"Ems. Who's the male model?" He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "Not joking. Like holy shit Emma! Is he your...are you...Hm." Ruby glanced between them and then shrugged. "Good job Ems! Didn't think you had it in you. Now, do you mind if I phone Victor first? He's going to be so worried!" Emma rolled her eyes but nodded as they all walked outside. "Thanks!" Emma sighed, running her hand through her hair when Ruby looked away, leaning against the car in the process. 

"She isn't what I expected." Emma smiled slightly as Killian leaned against the car beside her. 

"What do you mean?" She asked. 

"Well...she's different. I can see why you like her though." He mused and a thought occurred to him. "Why didn't you tell her...?" He trailed off and Emma blushed slightly. 

"I've learnt that when it comes to Ruby, just go with it." He twirled her hair around his finger. 

"Is that so...it's not because you want Ruby to think that were..?" She blushed, smacking him in the arm. 

"No you idiot! She's a little hyperactive, and if you give her a response then she's able to ask a billion more questions and things. This way, it saves us both the trouble." He grinned at her, continuing to twirl her hair around his finger. 

"Whatever you say Swan." Before she could say anything else Ruby was back. 

"Okay, I'm willing to see what you call a doctor." Emma rolled her eyes as they all climbed into the car. 

"Just...behave." As she pulled away from the cabin, she couldn't help but wonder why Neal wasn't there. 

oOoOo

"So Ems, you never told me his name." Emma rolled her eyes. 

"He can speak for himself Ru." She turned in her seat, wincing a little. Now that the evening light was shining in the windows, Emma could clearly see multiple cuts and bruises running along Ruby's arms and face. He really beat her up. By the way she kept wincing she probably had a few cracked or broken ribs, and she limped slightly which told Emma he hurt her leg or ankle or foot...or all three. 

"Speak human creature." Ruby ordered and Killian glanced at Emma, meeting her eyes in the mirror. She nodded slightly and he met Ruby's eyes. 

"Killian Jones, at your service lass." Ruby's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. 

"Seriously? What the hell Emma!?" She hissed, whacking Emma's arm. Emma winced since Ruby hit the injury but quickly covered it up. Killian saw though, judging by his look of concern. "Why didn't you tell me that you found the sexiest man alive!?" Emma rolled her eyes. 

"I don't know what you're talking about Ruby." She muttered, following the road to a hospital she knew all too well. 

"Like hell you do. Have you two...?" Ruby trailed off suggestively and after a glare from Emma and an ear scratch from Killian, she spun around facing the front. "Fine. Don't tell me anything." She mumbled before turning business like. "You know Neal's not working alone right?" Emma sighed. 

"I figured. It was too efficient to be just him. Who is it?" Ruby shrugged. 

"I don't know, he kept calling him by a nickname." They turned down an empty street, the sky growing darker overhead. "I think he called him, the Mad Hatter. Like from Alice in Wonderland." Emma stopped the car, hopping out and slamming the door shut. 

"Dammit!" She nearly yelled and two other car doors opened. 

"Emma?" She ran a hand through her hair, pacing slightly. 

"Emma? Love, take a deep breath. Try to calm down." She glared at him. 

"How the hell am I supposed to calm down Killian!? I was perfectly fine with it just being Neal, hell I was ready to kill him. But now I find out that he's working with Jefferson!? He was a friend Jones. A good friend." Ruby was watching her, knowing from experience not to go near Emma when she was freaking out. Killian however, either didn't know, or didn't care since he put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from moving. 

"Emma, love. Listen to me." She stopped and Ruby's eyes widened again, this time she was watching them with interest. Nobody's been able to calm Emma down just like that before. Ruby began to form a possibly evil plan as she carefully observed Emma and Killian. 

"It's going to be alright. You'll figure this out. You can get through this." She stared at him for a moment, processing what he said. 

"But-" He shook his head. 

"No buts, now come on. Take a deep breath. Relax. And let's go drop off your friend for her much needed medical attention." She rolled her eyes. "Come on Swan, the instructions weren't that difficult." He let go of her shoulders now but his eyes were still laced with concern. 

"Shut up Jones, or I'll make you watch Nightmare on Elm Street." He widened his eyes slightly, but just nodded once. 

"Alright Swan. You win this round." She grinned and opened her door again. 

"Idiot." She muttered, climbing back in as the other two followed suit. 

"I am no idiot Swan, I can assure you." She resisted rolling her eyes. "Unless you want me to be an idiot, cause I'll be whatever you want darling." He winked at her and she just shook her head. 

"Shut up Jones." Ruby stared at her with a look at made Emma want to smash her head into the steering wheel. She was in for one hell of a phone call later. 

"Or we could just make out, you seemed to enjoy that last time love. It's guaranteed to get rid of stress too...I know many ways to get rid of stress, we could try some, love." She felt heat rising to her cheeks as she glared at him in the mirror. 

"Jones, if you don't shut up right now, so help me-" He raised his hands in surrender as they pulled up to the hospital. 

"Alright, alright. Offers still out there if you want it." He winked again as she stopped the car and she turned around to smack him.

"Ruby, you need any help?" Ruby shook her head. 

"I'll call you when they let me go. You go start searching for Neal." Emma nodded and Ruby leaned over to hug her. "Ems, don't let this one get away." She whispered in her ear, too quietly for Killian to pick up on it. "I can see how much he likes you, try to keep him close okay? You won't find another like him." She pulled away and smiled at her. "Thank you for finding me Emma, I knew you would. Don’t worry! I’m going to be fine! Love ya!" Then Ruby hopped out of the car and disappeared into the hospital, allowing Killian to move to the front seat of the vehicle. He wanted to climb over, but Emma made him get out and go around. There was no way he was going to damage her car! 

"Where are we off to now Swan?" He asked, buckling his seatbelt and she sighed. 

"A place where I can think." She replied, turning the car on and pulling out of the hospital parking lot. 

"Where's that love?" She sighed, biting her lip. 

"My place."


	6. She's In Trouble Now

Chapter 6:

"This is your place?" Emma nodded, slightly embarrassed. 

"Yeah...I share it with Ruby. She just moved in recently, since my old roommate moved out in a hurry." She shrugged and made her way to the kitchen to create a meal for herself. 

"Swan?" She turned around, waiting. "Where is your bathroom?" She nearly giggled. He looked so nervous! Her silence made him lift his hand to scratch behind his ear. A nervous habit? Like her lip biting. 

"Down the hall, third door on the right." He smiled gratefully but she could see the twinkle in his eyes. "If I catch you snooping, I won't hesitate to cut you." She grinned at the slightly scared look in his eyes and then headed back to the kitchen. Grateful for a few moments without him so she could clear her head. There had been so much thrown at her over the past week, she felt like if there were any more sudden surprises, she'd explode! She pulled a pan out of the cupboard and turned the stove on. "Okay Emma, what do you know?" She asked herself aloud, pulling ingredients out of the fridge and grabbing a knife from the drawer. "Neal is working with Jeff, but why...if he really killed those people, he would need an alibi." She frowned, chewing on her bottom lip while she thought. "Not to mention, he needed to throw them off his trail. So when Jeff was on his business trip...the people that died there would provide Neal with an alibi. Right? When did Jeff leave...when were the murders. Get the facts first Emma." She jumped when she heard a chuckle. 

"Talking to yourself there love? Don't you worry about people hearing you?" She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. 

"Nobody's ever been there to hear me." She replied, turning around and finishing cutting the ingredients before tossing them all into the pan. 

"You're very mysterious. Just who are you Swan?" She grinned, shrugging slightly. 

"Wouldn't you like to know." She muttered in response and he stared at her, his intense blue eyes meeting hers. An emotion written there that she couldn't understand. 

"Perhaps I would." He replied and she immediately turned back to the food, her face heating up. 

"Are you hungry? I'm used to making for two. Ruby always eats my food..." She broke the sudden heavy silence between them, but her eyes remained on the food. 

"Thank you." She relaxed slightly, just a few hours and then she’ll be alone. 

oOoOo

It was silent while they ate, and Emma tried not to think too much. "So I've been in this house for a few hours, but I haven't seen one photo of you." Shit. She was hoping he wouldn't notice that. "I see a ton of Ruby and Granny, but none of you. Why is that, love?" She hesitated. “

I don't like my picture taken." She finally muttered, but he could hear that it was a question rather then a legitimate answer. 

"This is what I think, based on everything you've said. You look after others, but don't care much for your own health or safety, you don't have family to worry about, but you have people that are close enough to be family, and you're fiercely loyal to them. When something happens to them, it nearly destroys you." She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his and he nearly stopped. 

"I know about you Swan. You're like myself, there isn't any family. I can see it in your eyes." She just nodded slowly. 

"Congrats. You figured it out." She muttered dryly. "Would you like a gold star?" He stared at her. "Are you going to leave? People usually do when they find out I'm an orphan." She stood up and took her plate to the sink. 

"Is that what you want Emma?" Her head snapped up, a frown on her face as he placed his plate next to hers. 

"What?" She asked, his fingers brushed against hers and it was like electric shooting up her arm. 

"What do you want Emma? Do you want me to go? Just tell me, do you want me to go, or do you want me to stay?" His voice was like a melody, and when her eyes locked on his, she found she was incapable of tearing them away. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was almost sure he could hear it. 

"What I want doesn't matter." She muttered and he raised an eyebrow. 

"It does to me. What do you want, love?" He stepped closer to her now, so he was right in front of her. 

"I-" He was really close. So close that she couldn't finish the sentence. She could count almost every single speck of colour in his eyes. 

"Emma?" He asked, his breath tickling her face. 

"Mhm?" She couldn't form a coherent sentence. He was too close, her mind was shutting itself down. 

"I'm going to kiss you now." She blinked, but made no other movements. 

"M'kay.” She breathed and he grinned at the effect he had on her, his face slightly predator-like but she wasn't afraid. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to feel his lips against hers, his hand in her hair. She wanted to feel the friction between them as they kissed. A few seconds later, Emma got to feel it. This kiss was slow, and he moved them so she was trapped between him and the counter. Her arms automatically went around his neck, her fingers burying themselves in his hair as she opened her mouth to welcome him in. It was a better kiss than last time, more passion, more tasting. She pulled away when her breathing became difficult, and she was delighted by the fact that he seemed to be having the same problem. He leaned his forehead against hers, and closed his eyes, a slight smile on his face. It made her heart race in her chest, but her mind kept telling her to run. She needed to run. And yet...she didn't want to. "Killian?" She asked quietly, a smile playing at her mouth. 

"Mhm?" She couldn't help the grin that split onto her face at that. He was dazed. She had done that to him. She made him unable to focus. That's a powerful thing. 

"Look at me." He slowly opened his eyes, and she could see mirrored panic in them. Good. She wasn't the only one freaking out. 

"Emma," She stretched up on her toes to kiss him, cutting him off. She'd never been one that was good with words, but actions were easier. He grinned against her lips, lifting her effortlessly onto the counter before closing the nearly nonexistent distance between them. This kiss was different than the previous one. It was slower. It was exploratory. It made Emma's mind go blank, and her body move of it's own accord. She wrapped her legs around him, pulling them together and molding them as one, smiling against his lips. She wanted more, so much more, but not right now. There were much more pressing matters at hand. That didn't stop Emma from enjoying what she could get right now. When they were both in need of oxygen once again they pulled away from each other, their faces were flushed and Killian had a hungry look in his eyes. "Emma," He began again but she rolled her eyes. 

"Killian, don't ruin this by talking." She muttered and he shut up for once. "We aren't going to have sex either, so get that thought out of your mind." He looked a little disappointed and she giggled, leaning forwards to whisper in his ear. "I'll let you kiss me again, but first...I want to watch a movie." She pulled away and grinned cheekily at him, to which he couldn't help but smile. 

"As you wish milady." Perfect. Now she can scare him, it's payback for making her feel things. He helped her off the counter (her stomach still slightly sore from when Neal sliced it) and she pulled him into the living room. She could figure out where Neal was later, right now she wanted a chance to be happy. 

oOoOo

She had to admit, that movie was scary as shit! It even terrified her! So as she was lying in her bed, trying to think of anything but that movie, and unable to wipe the smile off her still tingling lips, Emma was not able to sleep. The goodnight kisses, yes plural because he had kissed her with such passion she felt her knees buckle only to kiss her again and again until she finally managed to bring back her ability to walk and think, they had left her lips tingling with the feel of his. He did it on purpose, kissing her with a fierceness she hadn't felt before, pressing light ones to the inside of her wrists, small ones on her neck and marking his...territory on her collarbone. She supposed some of it was her fault, since for once she could let herself be and enjoy it...that didn't stop him from giving her inability to sleep since she either thought about him or the movie. Damn the bastard, he totally did it on purpose. She'd made him a bed on the couch, and somehow knowing there was just one wall separating them...Emma was not able to sleep. So here she was, lying in bed completely awake. Trying very hard not to think of the way his face lit up when she giggled at him for saying something stupid, or the way his eyes danced when he was about to say something sweet, or something to make her laugh. She was trying not to think about the way he would twist his words to sound completely dirty or innocent, and watch her reaction carefully, smiling smugly when she reacted the way he wanted. She only just met this bastard a few days ago, and she was already feeling like he owned her entire soul. Mind you, Regina's going to kill her if she finds out she was messing around on the job. Not that this could conclude of messing around, but Regina wouldn't believe her anyways. She needed to be close to him again, which was odd because normally she was running the other direction. After what seemed like forever, she finally heaved a sigh and stood up, sneaking out of her room. She could hear the familiar noise of typing on a cellphone, and when she peeked around the corner she saw him typing on his phone. So she was right. "Emma?" He looked up in surprise when the floor creaked and she blushed, biting her lip. "Couldn't sleep?" She shook her head and he smiled slightly. "Me either." Feeling like it was safe enough she walked into the living room, watching his eyes roam her body. She was wearing a tank top, and short pajama shorts, but it wasn't anything special. It still made her blush when smiled appreciatively, thankfully he didn't comment. She probably would've bolted right there if he had. 

"What're you doing?" She asked, sitting down beside him and he shrugged. 

"Writing." He writes? No wonder his words work like magic on her. 

"I didn't know you write." She mumbled, and he smiled slightly, turning his phone off and placing it on the table. 

"There's lots you don't know about me Swan. All you have to do is ask." She could tell he was still smiling. "Did the movie scare you, love?" She shuddered slightly, staring at her hands. 

"Maybe." She muttered, unwilling to admit it but he knew. Somehow he just knew her. She couldn't see him, but her eyes were adjusting to the darkness quickly and she could hear him move. She squeaked when his arm looped around her waist and he pulled her down with him. 

"Sorry love, didn't mean to startle you." She shifted slightly, automatically tangling their legs together. 

"'Ts okay." She mumbled and he chuckled at her. 

"Sleep Emma, I'll be right here." She felt him press a kiss to her forehead and she stiffened momentarily, then he moved, pulling the blanket over them both. 

"You sure?" She didn't even realize she said it, but he just pulled her closer to him, his one arm tightening around her while he linked his other hand with hers. 

"I'm sure. I won't leave unless you tell me so, love." She smiled slightly, her eyes closing as he pressed another kiss to her head, leaving her head tucked under his chin. 

"Kay." She felt him laugh quietly but she was too tired to care. This was comfortable, something she could get used to...something she felt herself wanting to get used to and that scared her. It was scary to feel like this again, since the last few times it ended in pain for her. But a few moments later she fell asleep, feeling completely safe and relaxed. 

oOoOo

Emma slowly opened her eyes, realizing that she didn't have nightmares for once. Her mind was screaming at her to distance herself from this man who was still fast asleep, but she had no reason to. At least she didn’t until her phone rang. “Shit!” She jumped up, taking a deep breath and running her hand through her hair as she answered it. “Hello?” Her voice was so calm it surprised her, but then again Emma was quite adept at hiding her feelings. 

"Miss Swan, is there a particular reason as to why you've been ignoring my phone calls?" Her eyes widened and stopped in her motion, her hand resting in her hair. 

"W-what?" Regina's voice had the special tone to it. The kind that made you fear for your life, or feel extremely guilty even though you've done nothing wrong. It made all the colour flow out of Emma's face. 

"I want to know why the hell you've been ignoring my calls." It was no longer a polite question. 

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." She really was confused, and she jumped, squeaking slightly when she felt arms slowly wrap themselves around her waist. 

"You don't? Well I called you yesterday, but you didn't answer, and this is my third time calling you today." Stalking much? Emma knew she was just concerned, but still. She leaned back into Killian slightly, a smile playing on her lips as he whispered in her ear. 

"Good morning beautiful." She felt her cheeks heating up and he lightly kissed her cheek. 

"I'm sorry Regina, but this really is the first time my phone has gone off." She was being sincere, but Regina was irritating her slightly, so her tone wasn't completely polite. 

"Hm. Anyways, I was phoning to ask you why the hell you didn't inform me that you found Miss Lucas." She nearly rolled her eyes, why didn't she indeed. Killian was trailing light kisses along her jawline, and she was loosing her train of thought. 

"I...um...I was busy." She managed to get out, holding back a giggle. 

"Busy." Regina repeated in slight disbelief and Emma had had just about enough of her today. 

"Yes busy Regina! Dammit I'm still tracking Neal! He wasn't there, I learnt he had a partner and so I've been busy trying to figure out where those two shitty assholes disappeared too!" Not to mention a movie and several impromptu make out sessions with Killian, but Regina didn't need to know that. Emma was on the verge of hanging up, for fear she would flip out on Regina, but also out of fear she would laugh and Regina would hear. Killian rested his chin on her shoulder as she placed her free hand lightly on his. It calmed her down slightly. 

"Alright Emma, calm down. Is Mr Jones with you still? You really shouldn't be working with an expendable, untrustworthy partner." She didn't like being told that by Regina, and when Killian began to kiss her neck again, most likely leaving a mark or two at the base of it, and she couldn't handle it anymore. 

"Whatever. I'm sorry. I'll call you when I can. I've gotta go." She pulled her phone away from her ear, finally letting herself giggle as she hung up. "You're one hell of a distraction you know that?" She spun around to face him, to which he just raised an eyebrow. 

"I don't know what you're speaking of, darling." She grinned, lightly trailing her fingers along his jaw. 

"Sure you don't." She replied as he leaned down for a kiss but she put her finger to his lips. "Nope. I'm pretty sure my boss heard me, so I'm in trouble again. You don't get any kisses." His eyes gleamed with mischief, but his face dropped into a pout that made her giggle again. 

"That's unfair Swan." She shook her head. 

"What's unfair, Jones, is you doing your worst to distract me while I'm on the phone to my boss." She poked him in the chest and he feigned looking hurt. 

"I would never!" She rolled her eyes. 

"But you did." His arms were still around her waist, so she couldn't break free from his hold. Well, she could break free from his hold if she really wanted too, right now she was just comfy here, but if she stayed this close then she was going to kiss him and that would defeat the whole purpose of this. "Well this was fun, but I'm afraid you're going to have to let me go now." He raised an eyebrow, tightening his hold on her, but not enough to bring pain to her injuries. 

"Why would I do that, love?" He asked and she sighed. Damn, she really had to say this out loud. 

"Because I'm in desperate need of the bathroom...and a shower." He released her immediately and she grinned at him. 

"Do you require any assistance?" He asked, a smirk on his face and Emma rolled her eyes, shaking her head slowly. She turned around and headed towards her bathroom. 

"No thank you. And you better be focused by the time I get back Jones, because today is going to be a day of research and guessing." As her bedroom door closed behind her, she heard him groan slightly, causing a smile to spread across her face. 

oOoOo

"Killian!" She groaned, smacking him in the shoulder. "I'm trying not to burn our food too! Don't do that." She was making them lunch/breakfast and had jumped when he came up behind her (the movie from the previous night still fresh in her mind) and proceeded to burn her hand on the stove. 

"Sorry love." She rolled her eyes as he scratched behind his ear, running the burn under cold water and hissing slightly at the sting. 

"It's fine. It's not like I haven't done it before." She shrugged, trying to put him at ease. 

"You hurt yourself a lot then?" She frowned, biting her lip while she thought. 

"Not a lot, but more than the average person I guess..." He leaned against the counter beside her, an eyebrow raised in an unspoken question. 

"You're still quite the mystery, my lady Swan." She rolled her eyes, but had the ghost of a smile on her face. His eyes were still slightly concerned for her, but she really was used to it. She nearly jumped again when his fingers slid around her wrist, bringing her hand to his lips and lightly kissing her injury. "Feel better?" He asked, a cheeky smile on his face and she just nodded slightly. 

"Yeah." She blushed, turning back to the food. She'd tied her hair up in a ponytail, since she was cooking, the moment she was finished, the stove turned off and danger out of the way, he pulled her hair out of its tie. He grinned as it cascaded over her shoulders, before he reached over and twirled it around his fingers. He was a few inches away from kissing her (did he have to have eyelashes that long? It's not normal.) but her phone rang. "Hello?" She was both happy and disappointed by the voice. 

"Hello Ems." Neal. She was happy cause now she could find out where he is, but disappointed because she thought it might've been Ruby. “Listen, I’ve got a proposition for you.” She stepped away from Killian, attempting to distance herself from everything. 

“Which would be what?” She asked, careful to keep her voice calm. 

“I’ll let both Jefferson, and that strange man you work with…whats his name again? Graham? August? Robin?” He knew them all. “Anyways, I’ll let whichever one of them I’m keeping right now go, along with Jefferson, who told me to say hello by the way.” She heard a muffled noise in the background that sounded like someone complaining but they had something over their mouth. “If you come alone. Don’t bring your new boyfriend with you. I don’t want to see his face again.” She glanced at Killian, a tiny frown flitting across her face before she dropped all emotions. 

“Where.” It wasn’t a question, but he knew she agreed to his terms. 

“The place we lived. You have three hours.” Then the line went dead. 

“Lived?” She muttered to herself, her frown returning. They had lived at his place in New York, but she’d already been there. He wouldn’t return. She knew now what she had to do, she had to do this. To finish the job, and to prove to everyone that she could. An hour later, after Killian went for a shower, Emma slipped out of the house.


End file.
